Why is Fresh Fruit Best?

Have you ever stopped to really appreciate fruit?

It is so easy for us to take these little packages of sweet juiciness for granted. But, let’s take a moment to give a shout out to the bounties provided by mother nature!

We live in the modern era of pre-packaged, easy-prep “food”.  But when you think about it, fruit is the original ready-to-eat meal. And it has been around for as long as human history - and far beyond.

The beauty of fruit is that it is best enjoyed as is. Designed by nature to be eaten at the point of ripeness, this is when the nutrients are most valuable, the contents more digestible, and the taste is at its best.

While we can enjoy fruit in a variety of ways - juiced, dried, stewed, preserved, frozen, candied, and more - fresh is best! Here’s why...

Fresh Fruit Is More Delicious And Nutritious

Have you ever wondered why fresh fruits taste so much better than their frozen counterparts?

At the point of ripeness, the natural sugars, moisture, and nutrients are at their peak. That means the nutrients are at their peak too. Designed to be extra tasty to tempt animals to devour it and spread the seeds, this is when your fruit is going to taste the best.

Fresh Fruit Is Healthier

Imported or out of season fruit is often picked before fully ripe, kept in cold storage to prevent it from ripening during transportation, treated with chemicals to keep it from going bad, and artificially ripened.

Doesn’t sound so fresh does it?

The process of prolonging the life of out-of-season fruit adds a lot of extra chemicals to your diet and messes with the natural goodness contained within.

However, if you purchase locally grown fresh fruit, it means you are buying what is currently in season. It doesn't need to be treated with chemicals or hormones to make it look, taste or smell good - instead, it's au natural, just the way we like it.

Did you know that in all her wisdom, mother nature provides the nutrients we need with the changing seasons? For example, citrus fruit - with its generous helping of vitamin C - is in season during the winter months, supporting our bodies through cold and flu season.

What About Dried Fruit?

Dried fruit is nature's candy. It is delicious and sweet. But, with all the fibre and water removed, the sugar and calories are concentrated. The dehydrating process also removes a fair amount of nutrients. Heat sensitive components like vitamin C, B, and A decrease.

If you eat two cups of fresh apple, you will get around 6mg of vitamin C and folate. While the dried equivalent of ¼ cup of apple only provides 0.8mg of vitamin C and no folate.

Dried fruit does have its benefits. It is great for when you need a high-calorie energy boost - maybe when hiking or as a pre-workout snack. But, it is not ideal to chow down on handfuls of dried fruit as a regular snack.

By comparison, fresh fruit keeps you fuller for longer. It also prevents you from overeating and overdosing on those natural sugars!

What About Juice?

While we all enjoy a good fruit juice, it is the same deal as with dried fruit.

The fibre in solid fruit helps to balance out the sugar content, assisting our bodies to process it as an in-sync unit. Removing just the juice concentrates the sugar content, and taking out the pulp says goodbye to some of those essential nutrients.

The Whole Package

Fresh fruit is the ultimate package. Perfectly designed to deliver the good stuff our bodies need while remaining delicious, it even comes naturally packaged. Meaning, there is no need to damage the environment when you take a snack somewhere!

So, next time you peel a banana, spread an avo on your toast, or sink your teeth into an apple, take a moment to truly appreciate your fresh fruit.

Here at Twisted Citrus, we fully support eating seasonally. That is why you will only find fresh fruit in our boxes. Check out the store to see what is in season right now!